Apparatus for cooking



Nov. 10, 1936. H. s. VINCENT 2,050,434

APPARATUS FOR COOKING Original Filed April 115, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 gmmroi Nov. 10, 1936. s, vmc I 2,060,434

' APPARATUS FOR COOKING I Original Filed A ril 15, 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 10, 1936.

H S. VINCENT APPARATUS FOR COOKING Original Filed April 13, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 10,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Original application A pril 13, 1929, Serial No. Divided and this application January 23, 1930, Serial No. 422,962

7 Claims.

My invention consists in a new and useful improvement in apparatus for cooking and is designed more particularly to provide a pressure cooker. This application is a divisional application from my application Serial Number 354,- 967 filed in the United States Patent Oflice on April 13, 1929.

The particularly novel and useful features of the invention described and claimed herein are the means which I provide for supplying to my device the steam required for a pressure cooker, the means for controlling the operative mechanism and the means for securing and maintaining the proper sealing of the cooking chamber during the cooking process.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section on the line |-l of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a detail of a water valve.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section illustrating the means for controlling the operative mechanisms.

Between the walls 6 and l I provide the insulated chamber GUI having the outer water jacket 662 and the inner water jacket 663 having independent supply pipes 664 and 605 respectively. The pipe 664 is provided at its end at the bottom of the cooker with a three-way cock 666 having the operating handle 661, the supply pipe 666 and the waste pipe 609. The pipe 665 is also provided with a similar cock. The chamber 60! has a vertically movable top 6H] mounted upon elevating means 6H comprising pneumatically operated tubes for which I provide the air supply pipe 6iia having the valve Bill). The top 6H] has an outer water jacket BIZ and an inner water jacket 613 provided with extensible hose connections 6l2a and 6l3a respectively, connected with the water jackets 602 and 603 respectively. The insulated wall 6| 4 of the chamber GUI is provided at its top with a circumferential plate 6I5 on which is mounted a rubber gasket M6, on which at its outer edge is mounted the rubber buffer 612'. To the lower side of the top 6l6 there is suitably attached the circumferential flexible back pressure lip 6l8 which extends inwardly from the lower edge of the top BIG, and carries at the inner edge the cylindrical rubber gasket M9 to co-act with the gasket 6|6.

Suitably mounted on the outer face of the wall 616, there is a plate 626 which projects upwardly above the upper end of the wall 6, beside the top 6l6, fitted under the upper surface thereof,

and braced by a strut 62l extending between the walls 6 and l.

Suitably mounted at the four corners of the top 656, adjacent its lower edge, there are the pins 622. Suitably journaled in the wall 6 are the two rock-shafts 623 and 624, the former passing through the plate 626. Mounted on each end of these shafts 623 and 624, on the outside of the wall (H4, is a hook 625 adapted to co-act with one of the pins 622 to lock the cover 6l0 upon the chamber 66!. I connect the hook 625 located adjacent the wall 626 to one of thehooks 625 adjacent the wall 1 by a pitman rod 626 and also connect the other two hooks 625 by a similar rod 62?.

At a suitable point in the upper surface of the 15 top 6E6, there is provided a well 628 closed at its top and bottom by transparent plates 629 and 636 respectively. In this well 628, there are provided a pressure gauge 63l and a thermometer 632 for indicatingpressure and tem- 20 perature within the chamber Gill when the top 6l0 is in closed position.

Suitably suspended from the top GI!) and so disposed as to fit within the chamber 66| when the top 6H1 is in closed position, there is the skeleton frame 633 with any suitable arrangement of shelves 634 for receiving the material to be operated upon by the cooker.

I will now describe the mechanism which I provide for operating the cooker. (Illustrated in Fig. 1.)

Suitably disposed at any convenient point below the cooker, there is provided a tank 635 to which is constantly supplied water from the water mains (at a pressure varying from to 90 35 pounds). In the lower portion of the cooker there is located the chamber 636 into the bottom of which enters the pipe 637 from the tank 635, having the valve 638 therein. It is to be noted that the pipe 631 is extended somewhat 4 downwardly into the tank 635. In the chamber 636, there are provided electric heating coils 636. From the top of the chamber 636 there extends the pipe 646 which enters the top of the tank 635. From this pipe 646, I provide supply pipes 64d and 6 32, through the former of which I may convey heated water to a dish washer and sink, and through the latter of which I may supply heated water for other purposes. In the pipe 646 between the chamber 636 and the pipe 66! there is provided the check valve 643, so designed as to prevent flow from the tank 635 to the chamber 636 when the valve 643 is closed.

Leading from the pipe 646, at a point between the chamber 636 and the check valve 643, there is the circumference of the disc L the pipe 644 which communicates with the interior of the chamber 60L This pipe 644 is provided with a three-way valve 655 for alternatively opening and closing the circuit from the chamber 536, to the chamber Gill, and opening and closing the circuit from the chamber Sill to the waste pipe 646. I also provide a condensation chamber 641 connected with the pipe 644 immediately below the chamber 60L Within the chamber Sill, I provide a safety valve 643 and an air supply pipe 6&9 with a valve 549a, and on the lower surface of the cover SIB I provide any suitable form of electric hot plate 650.

I will now describe the means which I provide for manual control of the several mechanisms for the operation of the pressure cooker (see Fig. 6). I provide five discs 65L 652, 553, 55 i and 655 rotatably mounted upon the inner face of the plate 326. The disc 65l is mounted upon the rock shaft 623 and serves to carry the hook 625. The other discs 652, 853, (554 and 655 are carried by pintles G58, 65?, 658 and 659 respectively passing through the plate 620. Mounted upon the outer ends of the rock shaft 623 and the pintles 658, 651', 558 and 659 on the outer face of the plate 628 are the operating buttons 660, Glil, 662, 683 and 664 respectively.

It is to be noted that the discs 65L 652, 653, 65d and 655 are of the same thickness and positioned in the same vertical plane, and they are so designed and disposed as to permit only a determined sequence of operations, thus obviating the possibility of improper actuation of the operative mechanisms. The relation of the discs 65l, 652, 653, 654 and 655 relative to one another is determined by the location of the shaft 623 and the pintles 656, 65?, 658 and 659 in the plate 620.

I will now describe the design of each of the discs 65L 652, 653, 654 and 655 (illustrated in Fig. 3). The disc 65l is provided on its periphery with the lune shaped notch it having an arc corresponding with the circumference of the discs 652 and 654. The disc 652 is provided on its periphery with the lune shaped notch b having an arc corresponding with the circumference of the disc 65 I, and the lune shaped notch c having an arc corresponding with the circumference of the disc G53, and the lune shaped notch d having an arc corresponding with the circumference of the discs 653 and 655. The disc 653 is provided on its periphery with the lune shaped notch e having an arc corresponding with the circumference of the disc 652. The disc 654 has on its periphery a lune shaped notch I having an arc corresponding with The disc 655 has on its periphery a lune shaped notch g having an arc corresponding with the circumference of the disc 652. It is to be understood that each of the operating buttons 660, 66l, 662, 663 and 664 is designed to correspond in contour with its associated disc.

The disc 652 has pivoted thereto the pitman rod 665 which is connected with the rod 665a pivoted at 6551) on the wall 1. This rod 665a is operatively connected With the handle 60'! of the cock 605 on the pipe 604 of the outer Water jacket 602, and the valves 638 and 645. The disc 653 has pivoted thereto the pitman rod 666 which is operatively connected with any suitable form of electric switch 686a to control the flow of electricity to the electric coils 639 in the chamber 636. The disc 654 has pivoted thereto the pitman rod 661 which is operatively connected with air valve 6| lb to control the operation of the elevating means SI! of the cover 6H1. The disc 655 has pivoted thereto the pitman rod 668 which is operatively connected with the cock 606 provided for the pipe 605 of the inner water jacket 683, and with the valve 649a of the air supply pipe 649.

The pitman rods 626, 665, 666, E61 and 668, are pivoted to the discs 65L 652, E53, 654 and 655 respectively by means or" pintles p which pass through slots 8 in the plate 628, are fastened to the operating buttons 660, SM, 662, 653 and 664 respectively, and are suitably connected with and adapted to control the several mechanisms for the operation of the pressure cooker.

I provide, at any suitable point on the plate 629, an electric switch operating button 569, to control the flow of electric current to the hot plate located in the top Blll.

I will now describe the use and operation of the pressure cooker. It is to be noted that when the parts are in normal position the valve 638 is open and the valve 645 is closed so that water under pressure from the city water-main is supplied from the tank 635 through the pipe 831 filling the chamber 636 and the pipe 640. The circuit being in equilibrium, the check valve 643 is inoperative. The parts mounted upon the plate 620 being in normal position, the operator can turn the operating button 682 and with it the disk 653 operating the pitman 666 and thereby cause electric current to energize the heating coils 639 in the chamber 635, thus heating the water in the chamber 635. It is to be noted that by reason of the fact that the pipe 531 is extended downwardly into the tank 635 while the pipe 640 enters the top of the tank 635 the operation in the chamber 636 will cause cooler water to flow from the lower part of the tank 635 through the pipe 631 into the chamber 636 where it is heated and the heated water will pass from the chamber 636 through the pipe 668 into the upper part of the tank 635. It is obvious that the water thus heated may be supplied through the pipe GM to a dish washer or sink, or through the pipe 642 for any other desired purpose.

When it is desired to use the pressure cooker, the disk 65l mounted on the plate 620 is moved by its associated operating button 660 so that the hooks 625 are disengaged from the pins 622. This movement of the disk 65l brings the notch a opposite the notch f in the disk 554, thus permitting rotation of the disk 554, by means of the associated operating button 663, which opens valve Gl lb in the air supply pipe 6| la and causes the elevating means Ell to lift the top 6l0 of the pressure cooker, raising with it the skeleton frame 633 and shelves 634, providing facilities for disposing food which is to be cooked, in the cham ber Gill of the pressure cooker. When the articles have been placed upon the shelves 634, the disk 654, is again manipulated by the operating button 853 to cause the top 6H] to return to normal position and the disk 656 is then restored to its normal position, under which conditions it is possible to rotate the disk 65l by its associated operating button 668 to cause the hooks 625 to engage the pins 622, thereby locking the top 6l0 upon the chamber Sill. It is to be noted that by reason of the design and disposition of the hooks 525 and the pins 622 a certain degree of pressure downwardly is exerted upon the top 6H] by the action of the hooks 625, which causes the top GID to press the back pressure lip BIB and its gasket BlQ upon the gasket GlB on the top of the wall GM of the chamber Gill. The disk 65l being in normal position the notch a permits clockwise of a pressure cooker; means adapted to supply rotation of the disk 652 by means of its associated operating button 66!. Thisoperation, through the pitman rod 665, and rod 665a closes the valve 638 and opens the valve 645, and also opens the valve 666 permitting water to flow from the pipe 668 through the pipe 604 and the outer water jackets GKiE-and 612. This operation causes the heating system below the cooker to supply steam to the chamber GUI through the pipe 644, the safety valve 648 maintaining any desired pressure. It is to be noted that by reason of the design and disposition of the back-pressure lip M8 the steam pressure in the chamber 60l causes this lip M8 to seal the joint between its gasket H9 and the gasket M6. The operation of the cooker during the cooking process may be observed by inspection of the pressure gauge GM and the thermometer 632 in the well 628. When the cooking process has been completed, the disk 652 is restored to normal position, thereby opening the valve 638 and causing the valve 645 to close the passage in the pipe 644 from the chamber 636 and open the passage from the pipe 644 to the vent pipe 646, thereby permitting escape of the steam from the chamber 6M through the vent pipe 645. The movement of the disk 652 to normal position also causes the cock 636 to close the supply pipe 668 and open the waste pipe 609 thereby evacuating water from the outer water jacket to: about the chamber 6M and the outer water jacket (H2 in the top 6N3. The return of the disk 652 to normal position causes the notch d thereon to coincide with the notch g of the disk 655 which may then be rotated by means of its associated operating button 664, which operation through the pitman rod 668 opens the valve 606 of the pipe 665 and admits water to the inner water jacket 603 surrounding the chamber Gill and the inner Water jacket H3 in the top 6H), and

also opens the valve 649a of the pipe 649 causingv circulation of air through the chamber 6M, pipe 644 and vent pipe 646. Attention is called to the fact that the circulation of water through the outer Water jackets 662 and (H2 serves to assist the effect of the insulation about the chamber 60l to prevent escape of heat into the room. The use of the inner Water jackets 663 and 6E3, which are empty during the cooking process to supply air space surrounding the chamber 66! to assist the maintenance of the proper temperature for cooking in the chamber 60! and filled with circulating cold water immediately following the completion of the cooking process, serves to so lower the temperature in the chamber SDI immediately prior to opening the chamber 66! after the cooking proc ess, that any disagreeable rush of heat into the room is obviated.

It is obvious that the cooker can be opened and the cooked food taken therefrom by the process already described.

It is to be noted that the pressure cooker may be opened and articles placed therein as previously explained, and it may then be closed and that the pressure cooking mechanism may remain inoperative and the cooking process performed by the heating element 650 controlled by the operating button 669.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In apparatus for cooking, the combination of a pressure cooker; an outer water jacket about said cooker; an inner water jacket about said cooker; and means adapted to alternatively supply water to said jackets and evacuate water from said jackets.

2. In apparatus for cooking, the combination steam to said cooker; means adapted to permit the escape of steam from said cooker; means adapted to purge said cooker by compressed air; and manual control means to render operative the steam supply means, and automatically and simultaneously render inoperative the said escape and purging means, and to render inoperative the steam supply means and automatically and simultaneously render operative the said escape and purging means.

3. In apparatus for cooking, the combination of a pressure cooking chamber; a vertically movable cover for said chamber; means adapted to move said cover; means adapted to lock said cover upon said chamber; means adapted to supply steam to said chamber; means adapted to evacuate steam from said chamber; and a plurality of interlocking manually-operated control means, each associated with one of the abovementioned operating means, the whole set of control means being so designed and disposed that the steam supply means and steam evacuating means are operable only when the moving means for the cover is inoperative and the locking means is in locked position, and that the moving means and locking means are operable only when the steam supply and steam evacuating means are inoperative, and that the moving means is operative only when the locking means is in unlocked position.

4. In apparatus for cooking, the combination of a cooking chamber; a water heating chamber; two pipes entering said heating chamber, to which are supplied water under pressure, one of said pipes having therein a manually controlled valve, and the other pipe having a check valve so disposed as to be closed by the water pressure when the manually controlled valve of the other pipe is closed; a third pipe connected with the second pipe between the check valve and the heating chamber and also connected with the interior of the cooking chamber; and a manually controlled valve in said third pipe so connected with the manually controlled valve in the first pipe that when the first pipe is open the third pipe is closed, and vice-versa.

5. In apparatus for cooking, the combination of a cooking chamber; a steam generator; a pipe connecting the generator with the chamber to supply steam to the chamber; a vent pipe to permit the escape of steam from said chamber; a pipe connected with a source of air under pressure and communicating with the interior of said chamber; a three-way valve connected with the steam supply pipe and the steam vent pipe; a valve on the air supply pipe; and controls for the valves so designed and disposed that the steam supply pipe can be opened only when the air supply pipe and the steam vent pipe are closed, and the air supply pipe and the steam vent pipe can be opened only when the steam supply pipe is closed.

6. In apparatus for cooking, the combination of a pressure cooking chamber; a vertically movable cover for said chamber; means adapted to move said cover; means adapted to supply steam to said chamber; and control means so designed and disposed that the moving means and the steam supply means are operable only alternatively.

'7. In apparatus for cooking, the combination of a pressure cooking chamber; a vertically movable cover for said chamber; means adapted to move said cover; means adapted to lock said cover upon said chamber; means adapted to supply steam to said chamber; and a plurality of control means, each associated with one of the above-mentioned operating means, the Whole set of control means being so designed and disposed that the steam supply means is operable only when the moving means for the cover is inoperative and the locking means is in locked position, and that the moving means and locking means are operable only when the steam supply means is inoperative, and that the moving means is operative only when the locking means is in unlocked position.

H. S. VINCENT. 

